Optical fibers measuring in the thousandths of an inch in cross-section in diameter and constructed of plastic or glass are utilized in many ways for the transmission of an optical signal over extensive distances. It is a fundamentally important requirement for the highly efficient receipt of an optical signal by the fiber and the continued transmission of the optical signal to processing equipment that the end faces of the fiber be faced off very precisely at 90 degrees to the fiber axis. For example, where it is necessary to splice or interconnect the ends of two fibers, if their respective end faces are skewed to even a few degrees this will result in a substantial loss in transmission of the optical signal across the junction. In addition, a fully satisfactory cut or cleavage of the fiber should leave the end face flat for the same reason.
According to one known technique of cleaving a fiber, the fiber is scored on its peripheral surface about the entire circumference in a plane perpendicular to the fiber longitudinal axis. After scoring, the fiber is then pulled manually by the operator along its longitudinal direction until the fiber separates at the scored line. Achievement of perpendicularity of a fiber end face to the longitudinal end face by this technique is not fully satisfactory for present-day low-loss requirements and can vary up to as much as 3 degrees from the perpendicular. Also, separating the fiber pieces at the score line by the operator pulling on the fiber can produce damage to the fiber cleaved surface by dragging the cutter across the surface. Still further, there is the distinct possibility of inducing twist into the fiber which can result in a distortion of the newly-cut optical fiber end.